Boat test – Activ 705 Cruiser – Motor Boat Monthly - Quicksilver Boats

Nick says...
Keenly priced,
practical and
easy to use,
could the
Quicksilver
Activ 705 be
the ultimate
starterboat?
BOATS“
tested
Quicksilver Activ 705
Packed with user-friendly ideas, the first Activ cruiser
could be a perfect starterboat. From £41,147
MONTHLY
Imagine being asked to create
the ultimate starterboat. What
would you build? We’ve given
this some thought and we
reckon the top priorities would
be manageability, practicality, safety,
and value. And it seems we’re not
alone. The new Quicksilver Activ 705
is the largest in the Quicksilver
line-up and the first cruiser from the
At 20 knots the 705
is stable and
confidence inspiring ”
award-winning Activ range. More
importantly it is, quite possibly,
the ultimate starterboat.
Let’s take those four themes in
order. At 23ft long, this Carsten
Astheimer (the man behind Sealine’s
rebirth in 2007) 705 is certainly
manageable. It’s small enough to be
manhandled or fended off if it all
goes a bit pear-shaped in the final
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stages of berthing, yet it’s
big enough to be a coastal
passagemaker.
The wheelhouse design puts the
skipper and crew inside, away from
the wind and spray, and five
forward-facing seats – a double
helm, a single to port, plus a double
bench aft – is a luxury denied even
to many 50ft boatowners. Add in
MBM SEATRIAL
quicksilver activ 705
a one-piece windscreen, slim
mullions, a large sunroof and even
sliding side windows and you have
an area that’s sheltered yet in touch
with the elements, giving an
impressive view out at all speeds.
It’s practical as well, the helm seat
backrest reverses to create a
four-seater dinette with the aft
benchseat, or you can remove it to
allow this area to infill to a decent
sized double berth. A dedicated
locker beneath the saloon floor
houses a folding table and leg, so it
won’t roll around, and a further
socket in the cockpit sole allows
alfresco dining. Opposite the dinette
a small galley has a detachable gas
hob (again with its own dedicated
stowage area) and a sink, plus a
fridge under the forward seat.
Headroom is a remarkable 6ft 5in
throughout the saloon area.
Inevitably it drops away below
decks, over the small double
under the bluff foredeck. The only
area of real compromise is the toilet
compartment, which must be one
of the smallest afloat with sitting
room only. But at least it is separate.
So, the 705 is comfortable, but it is
also safe. That sheltered wheelhouse
is ideal for nervous crew and so is
the high sided, self-draining cockpit,
which is great for young children.
The 5in side decks are narrow but
perfectly useable, while handrails
on the trailing edges of the
wheehouse aid progress forward.
There’s even a high/low auxiliary
bracket for a very reassuring
back-up outboard engine.
Away from the practical thinking,
attention to detail can be lacking at
times. Locker apertures are roughly
cut and the finish is sparse in places,
but all the bits that matter are
Good visibility at the helm through large windows The Activ’s deep cockpit is safe and reassuring, which is ideal for young crew The 705 boasts a third front seat alongside double helm The helm seat backrest reverses to create a useful dinette with a folding table
18 December 2012 motorboatsmonthly.co.uk 19

MBM SEATRIAL
quicksilver activ 705
reasonably finished. Overall, build
quality is easily as good as
Jeanneau’s Merry Fisher and
Bénéteau’s Antarès models.
Top performer
We have tested five Activ models
now and every one has impressed.
At 20 knots this quirky hull is stable,
comfortable and confident,
maintaining direction without
constant wheel twitching. It also
makes light work of the chop-laden
swell of our test day. Throw the 705
hard into a high speed turn and
there is a degree of cavitation, but
driven in the cruiser manner it is
intended for it excels.
Two full-size pantograph
wipers keep the screen clear of
dollops of spray, while the open
roof and triple-fold saloon doors
stop you feeling isolated from
the experience.
So with three boxes ticked, does
the 705 represent good value? As
part of the mighty Brunswick Group,
Quicksilver can take advantage of its
massive economies of scale. The
boats are moulded in America and
then shipped to Poland for an
efficient fitout. As a result you can
buy a basic boat with a base
outboard engine for under £40,000,
representing great value for money.
Our test boat, fitted with a Mariner
F150 four-stroke outboard, comes in
at £55,000 on the water with the
Deluxe cruising package. This
£6918 option adds the smart
black topsides, electric windlass,
shorepower, cold water deck
shower, pressurised water, sea
toilet, fridge, GPS, VHF Radio,
warps, fenders and even a boat
hook. Buyers can also choose
petrol or diesel sterndrive options
if they prefer.
As a first boat, the 705 is tailormade
for putting families afloat with
minimum hassle and maximum
value. However, it also has enough
substance and sophistication to
entice seasoned dayboaters looking
to upgrade to a cabin boat.
A camper canopy extends the saloon
Dedicated table and leg stowage
Small but useful galley with hob unit
SPECIFICATION
LOA
23ft 2in (7.05m)
Beam
8ft 4in (2.55m)
ENGINE Mariner F150 outboard
PERFORMANCE
rpm knots lph gph mpg
3000 13 17 3.7 3.5
3500 18 24 5.3 3.4
4000 20 31 6.8 2.9
4500 22 36 7.9 2.8
5000 26 50 11.0 2.4
PRICE £29,995 inc VAT (no engine)
£41,147 inc VAT (with engine)
£55,218 inc VAT (as tested)
ENQUIRIES
Quicksilver
www.quicksilver-boats.com
CONCLUSION
Double berth beneath the foredeck
A very compact toilet compartment
Useful under galley stowage
FOR Spacious and versatile
interior, capable hull
AGAINST Finish is patchy
VERDICT Practical, safe and
confidence inspiring. One of
the best introductions to
boating you will find
MBM
rating
33333
20 December 2012